Genesis 25

Abraham’s Second Marriage and His Death

(1 Chronicles 1:32–33)

1Abraham married again, and his wife’s name was Keturah. 2Keturah gave birth to these sons of Abraham: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s descendants were the Assyrians, the Letushites, and the Leummites. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These were the descendants of Keturah.

5Abraham left everything he had to Isaac. 6But while he was still living, Abraham had given gifts to the sons of his concubines.#25:6 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law. He sent them away from his son Isaac to a land in the east.

7Abraham lived 175 years. 8Then he took his last breath, and died at a very old age. After a long and full life, he joined his ancestors in death. 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron, son of Zohar the Hittite. The cave is east of Mamre. 10This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac, who settled near Beer Lahai Roi.

The 12 Tribes of Ishmael

(1 Chronicles 1:29–31)

12This is the account of the descendants of Abraham’s son Ishmael. He was the son of Sarah’s Egyptian slave Hagar and Abraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael and their names listed by their settlements and camps—12 leaders of their tribes.

17Ishmael lived 137 years. Then he took his last breath and died. He joined his ancestors in death. 18His descendants lived as nomads from the region of Havilah to Shur, which is near Egypt, in the direction of Assyria. They all fought with each other.

Esau and Jacob

19This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac and his descendants. Abraham was the father of Isaac. 20Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. 21Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22When the children inside her were struggling with each other, she said, “If it’s like this now, what will become of me?” So she went to ask the Lord.

23The Lord said to her,

“Two countries are in your womb.

Two nations will go their separate ways from birth.

One nation will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”

24When the time came for her to give birth, she had twins. 25The first one born was red. His whole body was covered with hair, so they named him Esau [Hairy]. 26Afterwards, his brother was born with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, and so he was named Jacob [Heel]. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.

27They grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob remained a quiet man, staying around the tents. 28Because Isaac liked to eat the meat of wild animals, he loved Esau. However, Rebekah loved Jacob.

29Once, Jacob was preparing a meal when Esau, exhausted, came in from outdoors. 30So Esau said to Jacob, “Let me have the whole pot of red stuff to eat—that red stuff—I’m exhausted.” This is why he was called Edom.#25:30 There is a play on words here between Hebrew ʾadom (red stuff) and Edom.

31Jacob responded, “First, sell me your rights as firstborn.”

32“I’m about to die.” Esau said. “What good is my inheritance to me?”

33“First, swear an oath,” Jacob said. So Esau swore an oath to him and sold him his rights as firstborn. 34Then Jacob gave Esau a meal of bread and lentils. He ate and drank, and then he got up and left.

This is how Esau showed his contempt for his rights as firstborn.

Learn More About GOD'S WORD

Genesis 25

1-2Abraham married a second time; his new wife was named Keturah. She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3Jokshan had Sheba and Dedan.

Dedan’s descendants were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim.

4Midian had Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah—all from the line of Keturah.

5-6But Abraham gave everything he possessed to Isaac. While he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons he had by his concubines, but then sent them away to the country of the east, putting a good distance between them and his son Isaac.

7-11Abraham lived 175 years. Then he took his final breath. He died happy at a ripe old age, full of years, and was buried with his family. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, next to Mamre. It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried next to his wife Sarah. After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived at Beer Lahai Roi.

The Family Tree of Ishmael

12This is the family tree of Ishmael son of Abraham, the son that Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham.

13-16These are the names of Ishmael’s sons in the order of their births: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah—all the sons of Ishmael. Their settlements and encampments were named after them. Twelve princes with their twelve tribes.

17-18Ishmael lived 137 years. When he breathed his last and died he was buried with his family. His children settled down all the way from Havilah near Egypt eastward to Shur in the direction of Assyria. The Ishmaelites didn’t get along with any of their kin.

Jacob and Esau

19-20This is the family tree of Isaac son of Abraham: Abraham had Isaac. Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan Aram. She was the sister of Laban the Aramean.

21-23Isaac prayed hard to God for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said, “If this is the way it’s going to be, why go on living?” She went to God to find out what was going on. God told her,

Two nations are in your womb,

two peoples butting heads while still in your body.

One people will overpower the other,

and the older will serve the younger.

24-26When her time to give birth came, sure enough, there were twins in her womb. The first came out reddish, as if snugly wrapped in a hairy blanket; they named him Esau (Hairy). His brother followed, his fist clutched tight to Esau’s heel; they named him Jacob (Heel). Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

27-28The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29-30One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, starved. Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stew—I’m starved!” That’s how he came to be called Edom (Red).

31Jacob said, “Make me a trade: my stew for your rights as the firstborn.”

32Esau said, “I’m starving! What good is a birthright if I’m dead?”

33-34Jacob said, “First, swear to me.” And he did it. On oath Esau traded away his rights as the firstborn. Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils. He ate and drank, got up and left. That’s how Esau shrugged off his rights as the firstborn.

* * *

Learn More About The Message